Can't get enough Siuslaw Vikings baseball? You might not be trying hard enough.

Second-year coach Tom Shinn certainly is trying hard, with a refreshed website, more helpful social media applications and a commitment to keeping players and their supporters in the loop.

GameChanger is back for a second year. Shinn introduced it his first year, and it allows Vikings fans to follow games online in real time, with play by play and in-progress boxscores.

Exploding Whale Sports asked coach Shinn to address how technology is bringing a better experience to presenting and following Vikings baseball.

Exploding Whale Sports: What are you actively using (Facebook, GameChanger, website, MaxPreps, etc.)?

Coach Shinn: My biggest goal with what we are doing technology wise is to try and build interest in the program and support efforts of our community recognizing and supporting our baseball players.

When I took over the program they already had a Facebook page that was being managed by Bob Teter. I still have Bob as an administrator on that page so between the two of we update. Last season I tried to stay out of the Facebook piece and with Bob having Evan on the team he was very willing to take on that role. Plus having Bob able to run it was one thing I didn't have to worry about as a first year in the program coach. We tried to do a Facebook Live feed at the Sutherlin game last night, but got kicked off because of the music we played. We were afraid of that happening. We are looking into another way to broadcast our away games over an app called Periscope. More to come on that as we try to figure that out.

The website (https://sites.google.com/view/siuslaw-hs-baseball/home) is new this year and something I decided to take on. It's just another way to publicize what we are trying to accomplish in the program. With a website one thing we are looking to do is have a supporters page. If a local business owner, or individual, wants to donate $100 to the program we will put their name and whatever logo they can supply on that page.

EWS: Do you have recommendations for the fan of Siuslaw baseball to enjoy what you are providing?

Shinn: GameChanger is something I have been utilizing to keep score of the games. It has changed over the years. Originally it was basically the score keeping and that was about it. Now it has grown to so much more. It benefits me in the fact that all my stats are completed within the system. It can give me spray charts on hitters, track pitch locations, etc. My wife, Brandi, generally runs the iPad during the game. If not, a student score keeper, Desteny Johnson, will run it. We found out last year that fans are able to follow the games live as we score them through GameChanger. It was a perk we weren't really looking for at the time. It occurs because my iPad we are using has a data enabled plan, so as the game is scored it is available, it would also work if there was wifi at the location we were playing. So if I wasn't utilizing my data plan for the scoring it would just download after the game when I got to a wifi spot, which is how I had always done it in the past.

MaxPreps and GameChanger work together. MaxPreps is a group that really focuses on high school athletics. I believe that they do all sports. If you register your team and enter the info your team will have a page. When we score a game with GameChanger it will be uploaded to the site when it is finalized. They have apps that you can put on your phone to keep up with the team.

EWS: How are you interacting with other tech advances, such as Coast Radio making their broadcasts available online and the school advancing its video feed capabilities through the NFHS Network?

Shinn: I haven't really looked into partnering with KCST regarding our Facebook feed or trying to do it over Facebook Live. Might be something to look into in the future. The athletics department has made strides in trying to broadcast games both at the football field and in the gym. When you have a baseball program and the only thing played on your surface is one sport it doesn't really make much sense for the district to invest in a camera at Jiggs Dodson Stadium. The NFHS feed is an interesting way for alumni and fans that can't make it to a home game to stay up with the teams that play on those surfaces that it can broadcast. As I mentioned, we don't have that camera set up available to us so I am looking at other options for our fans.

EWS: What support and interest are you getting from colleagues?

Shinn: I really haven't sought any sort of cooperation from the district regarding what we are doing in terms of technology. It is still in its infancy really. Getting a wifi spot at the stadium might help and advance what we are doing, but not something I have sought at this time. Most of what is being done regarding social media is something I have gone out to do myself. My ultimate goal has always been to build up interest in what the players and the program are doing. Hoping that younger baseball players will see how much coverage our players get and build up those numbers and build a strong program.

Exploding Whale has given us pictures to put on our website as well has The Siuslaw News. Cooperation like this is vital to my ability to do these types of things.

NOTE FROM COACH SHINN:

There is a "badge" on the webpage (https://sites.google.com/view/siuslaw-hs-baseball/home) enabling you to become a "fan" through GameChanger.